e, you will be
equal to scratching out some of the past. The
scene with Mrs. Mellish I should condemn; it is
prosy and nothing to the purpose; and indeed the
more you can find in your heart to curtail between
Dawlish and Newton Priors, the better I think it
will be--one does not care for girls till they are
grown up. Your Aunt C. quite enters into the
exquisiteness of that name--Newton Priors is
really a nonpareil. Milton would have given his
eyes to have thought of it. Is not the cottage
taken from Tollard Royal?

[September 28, 1814.]

I hope you do not depend on having your book again
immediately. I kept it that your grandmama may
hear it, for it has not been possible yet to have
any public reading. I have read it to your Aunt
Cassandra, however, in our own room at night,
while we undressed, and with a great deal of
pleasure. We like the first chapter extremely,
with only a little doubt whether Lady Helena is
not almost too foolish. The matrimonial dialogue
is very good certainly. I like Susan as well as
ever, and begin now not to care at all about
Cecilia; she may stay at Easton Court as long as
she likes. Henry Mellish, I am afraid, will be too
much in the common novel style--a handsome,
amiable, unexceptionable young man (such as do not
much abound in real life), desperately in love and
all in vain. But I have no business to judge him
so early.

* * * * *

We feel really obliged to you for introducing a
Lady Kenrick; it will remove the greatest fault in
the work, and I give you credit for considerable
forbearance as an author in adopting so much of
our opinion. I expect high fun about Mrs. Fisher
and Sir Thomas.

* * * * *

Devereux Forester's being ruined by his vanity is
extremely good, but I wish you would not let him
plunge into a 'vortex of dissipation.' I do not
object to the thing, but I cannot bear the
expression; it is such thorough novel slang, and
so old that I dare say Adam met with i